Could the Philadelphia 76ers have another logjam at center?

Even the elite teams have their issues. Due to recent happenings, could the Philadelphia 76ers face a logjam at backup center?

Following their nail-biting 39th win of the 2018-19 campaign, the Philadelphia 76ers still seek clarity for some of the key roles on their roster.

Thankfully, some roles on their roster are undeniably filled. Joel Embiid is the dominant big, Ben Simmons is the play-maker, J.J. Redick is the veteran three-point marksman, and Tobias Harris is the long, stretch four with crazy range.

Perhaps the most role-questioning lies on the bench. Sixers GM Elton Brand must’ve agreed to an extent, as the recent NBA trade deadline resulted in a second-unit makeover.

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While only seven games have elapsed since the trade deadline, Philly’s bench still has some questions. Whether these aforementioned “questions” are a result of little time to gel or the rust that might follow a week-long all-star hiatus, nonetheless the Sixers need their second-unit duties to come into fruition.

Time is ticking, as there are only 22 games left in the regular season.

One of the bench roles that now carries uncertainty in Philly is the backup center position. Because Embiid starts at the five, being a backup center on the Sixers assuredly comes with minimal minutes.

If you’re a center on the Sixers, chances are you’ve been in the news lately. These recent blurbs could cause a logjam in the Sixers’ frontcourt.

On Tuesday, Keith Pompey of the Philly Inquirer and Philly.com tweeted that Joel Embiid will miss Thursday’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The same day, Sixers Vice President of Athlete Care Dr. Daniel Medina released a statement stating Sixers backup center Boban Marjanovic has a bone bruise and mild sprain of the right knee and will be re-evaluated in about 5-7 days.

Because the top-two Sixers big men are banged up, undoubtedly other Sixers Centers will get time on the floor.

Monday, Sixers Rookie Jonah Bolden started his mere fourth game as a Sixer. The UCLA product posted a solid nine points on 4-9 shooting, including six boards and three assists in a little over 18 minutes of action. If Bolden can hold his own, he could find his way into small bits of playing time in the playoff rotation.

Adding to the logjam in the Sixers frontcourt, the team tweeted Wednesday that 7-footer Justin Patton has been called up to the active roster. If the mid-season acquisition can show any promise in Marjanovic’s absence, Patton could see a little more playing time in the NBA than expected down the stretch.

As if there weren’t enough big bodies in this article, veteran journeyman Amir Johnson is still with the Sixers, and he saw his only court action since January 26th against the Portland Trail Blazers Saturday.

Because of his grit, his seemingly great relationship with Brett Brown and his reported desire to recently log some minutes in the G-league, it wouldn’t surprise me if Brown gives Johnson an extra look in the next few games.

In the end, Embiid will obviously start at center come playoff time. If his recovery goes well, it’s plausible Marjanovic will resume his duties as backup center.

Next. Boban Marjanovic avoided a major injury. dark

However, if anything, the Sixers will have their eyes on some new faces down low in the next couple of games. If anyone shows out, the Sixers could face a logjam at backup center for the playoff push.